Agnes Mary Clerke

Agnes Mary Clerke
Agnes Mary Clerke
    Agnes Mary Clerke
     Catholic_Encyclopedia Agnes Mary Clerke
    Astronomer, born at Skibbereen, County Cork, Ireland, 10 February, 1842; died in London, 20 January 1907. At the very beginning of her study she showed a marked interest in astronomy, and before she was fifteen years old she had begun to write a history of that science. In 1861 the family moved to Dublin, and in 1863 to Queenstown. Several years later she went to Italy where she stayed until 1877, chiefly at Florence, studying at the public library and preparing for literary work. In 1877 she settled in London. Her first important article, "Copernicus in Italy", was published in the "Edinburgh Review" (October, 1877). She achieved a wold-wide reputation in 1885, on the appearance of her exhaustive treatise, "A Popular History of Astronomy in the Nineteenth Century". This was at once recognized as an authoritative work. Miss Clerke was not a practical astronomer; in 1888, however, she spent three months at the Cape Observatory as the guest of the director, Sir David Gill, and his wife. There she became sufficiently familiar with spectroscopic work to be enabled to write about this newer branch of the science with increased clearness and confidence. In 1892 the Royal Institution awarded to her the Actonian Prize of one hundred guineas. As a member of the British Astronomical Association she attended its meetings regularly, as well as those of the Royal Astronomical Society. In 1903, with Lady Huggins, she was elected an honorary member of the Royal Astronomical Society, a rank previously held only by two other women, Caroline Herschel and Mary Somerville. Her work is remarkable in a literary as well as in a scientific way. She compiled facts with untiring diligence, sifted them carefully, discussed them with judgment, and suggested problems and lines of future research. All this is expressed in polished, eloquent, and beautiful language. With this scientific temperament she combined a noble religious nature that made her acknowledge "with supreme conviction" the insufficiency of science to know and predict the possible acts of Divine Power. Her works, all published in London, include, "A Popular History of Astronomy in the Nineteenth Century" (1885, 4th revised ed., 1902); "The System of the Stars" (1890; 2nd ed., 1905); "The Herschels and Modern Astronomy" (1895); "The Concise Knowledge Astronomy" — in conjunction with J. E. Gore and A. Fowler (1898); "Problems in Astrophysics" (1903); "Modern Cosmogonies" (1906). To the "Edinburgh Review" she contributed fifty-five articles, mainly on subjects connected with astrophysics. The articles on astronomers in the "Dictionary of National Biography"; on "Laplace" and some on other astronomers and astronomical subjects in the "Encyclopaedia Britannica"; and on "Astronomy" in The Catholic Encyclopedia were from her pen, as well as numerous contributions to "Knowledge", "The Observatory", the London "Tablet", and other periodicals.
    The Tablet, files (London, March, 1906; January, 1907); Obituary in Monthly Notices of the R.A.S. (London, 1907); Macpherson in Popular Astronomy (London, March, 1907); The Messenger Magazine (New York, March, 1907).
    WILLIAM FOX
    Transcribed by Mary Claire Lynch

The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume VIII. — New York: Robert Appleton Company. . 1910.


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  • Agnes Mary Clerke — (10 February, 1842 ndash; 20 January, 1907) was an astronomer and writer, mainly in the field of astronomy. She was born at Skibbereen, County Cork, Ireland, and died in London. [For details of the life and work of Agnes Clerk, see cite journal | …   Wikipedia

  • Agnes Mary Clerke — (10 février 1842 – 20 janvier 1907) est une astronome et écrivain scientifique, née à Skibbereen, dans le Comté de Cork en Irlande, et morte à Londres. Elle s intéresse à l astronomie dès son plus jeune âge, et …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Clerke, Agnes Mary — • Astronomer, born at Skibbereen, County Cork, Ireland, 10 February, 1842; died in London, 20 January 1907 Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006 …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Ellen Mary Clerke — (20 September 1840 – 2 March 1906) was an author, journalist, poet and popular science writer in the field of astronomy. She was born in Skibbereen, County Cork, in Ireland. She wrote for the London Tablet,[1] and also spent much time in Italy.… …   Wikipedia

  • Agnes Clerke — Agnes Mary Clerke Agnes Mary Clerke Agnes Mary Clerke (10 février 1842 – 20 janvier 1907) est une astronome et écrivain scientifique, née à Skibbereen, dans le Comté de Cork en Irlande, et morte à Londres. Elle s intéresse à l …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Agnès Clerke — Agnes Mary Clerke Agnes Mary Clerke Agnes Mary Clerke (10 février 1842 – 20 janvier 1907) est une astronome et écrivain scientifique, née à Skibbereen, dans le Comté de Cork en Irlande, et morte à Londres. Elle s intéresse à l …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Clerke — may refer to: Surname Agnes Mary Clerke (1842–1907), Irish astronomer and science writer Charles Clerke (1741–1779), British naval officer and explorer Charles Clerke (footballer) (1857–1944), goalscorer in 1879 FA Cup Final Ellen Mary Clerke… …   Wikipedia

  • Clerke — bezeichnet: Clerke (Mondkrater), ein Einschlagkrater auf dem Mond Clerke ist der Name folgender Personen: Agnes Mary Clerke (1842–1907), irische Astronomin Charles Clerke (1741–1779), britischer Marineoffizier und Forscher Siehe auch: Clerke… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Clerke, Ellen Mary — (1840 1906)    Clerke was the elder sister of the more famous Agnes Mary Clerke (1842 1907), historian of astronomy, although Ellen Mary was also an authority on the subject. She was born at Skibbereen, County Cork, Ireland. The sisters were… …   British and Irish poets

  • Clerke (Mondkrater) — Eigenschaften Breite 21,7° N Länge 29,8° O Durchmesser 6 km Tiefe 1,4 km Selenografische Länge 330° bei Sonnenaufgang Benannt nach Agnes Mary Clerke …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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